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mariebrunelm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I've always seen this vintage paperback on the family shelves. No one remember exactly how it arrived there. The name "Tolkien" probably is a clue, although the book has little to do with him beyond the short but well-written introduction by Jane Yolen. And that's one of the two reproaches I have with this book. It feels like the editor was so afraid a short story collection wouldn't sell, that he put the name of Tolkien on the cover. While some of the stories play with Tolkienian themes, most of them only have the genre of fantasy in common. I enjoyed the short story by Terry Pratchett a lot, and a couple of others were pleasant enough, but the majority was so blatantly sexist it made the enjoyment difficult.
TW : mention of rape & suicide in a text.
I only kept reading in the hope the next story would prove better. For instance, it's the first time I read Stephen Donaldson's prose, but I was not impressed. I do hope I missed something, because having the heroic figure of his story ask a woman who has been raped why she hasn't killed herself, deeply, deeply shocked me, especially when this question wasn't challenged. It tainted the whole collection to me. Several of the other stories had rampant sexism like having the woman in a group take care of the children, or have to be saved. And most of them didn't feel particularly original.
Well, this one won't be taking space much longer on my shelves!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, and Murder
telthor's review against another edition
2.0
For the most part, I found the majority of these tales plodding and tedious and pointless.
Truly, the best of the batch were Terry Pratchett’s Troll Bridge and Emma Bull’s Silver or Gold. The short story format felt cleanest in those tales.
I enjoyed Karen Harber’s Up the Side of the Air, and and at least Yolen’s Winter King felt like a fairy tale. I know so many of the authors in the list and like them, I just...couldn’t get into this collection. It’s too uneven.
Truly, the best of the batch were Terry Pratchett’s Troll Bridge and Emma Bull’s Silver or Gold. The short story format felt cleanest in those tales.
I enjoyed Karen Harber’s Up the Side of the Air, and and at least Yolen’s Winter King felt like a fairy tale. I know so many of the authors in the list and like them, I just...couldn’t get into this collection. It’s too uneven.